Aug. 20, 2024 7:30p
(WGTD)---During a campaign rally in Kenosha Tuesday, Republican Vice-Presidential candidate J. D. Vance picked up the endorsement of the Kenosha Professional Police Association, the union that represents Kenosha police officers.
The group’s president, Pete Deates, said the K-P-P-A took into account such things as inflation and its impact on the health of the community, and the candidates’ records on public safety issues. “President Trump has proven he stands for law enforcement,” Deates said. “We are confident President Trump and Senator J.D. Vance will continue to have our backs."
The K-P-P-A endorsement follows the backing last week of the Republican presidential ticket by the union that represents Milwaukee police officers.
Security was tight for Vance’s appearance in Civic Center Park, which was billed as a discussion of crime and public safety issues. A one to two block radius around the rally site in the park was closed to public access. Fencing, barricades, police check points, city buses and public works trucks were all used.
During his speech, which came just four days before the fourth anniversary of the shooting of Jacob Blake, Vance claimed that Trump saved Kenosha during the subsequent riots. “Who was the president of the United States that promised that he would send in law enforcement, if asked. That was Donald Trump," Vance said. "Who was it that pacified the streets of Wisconsin and insured that those riots didn’t spiral out of control and burn down the entire city. That was President Donald J. Trump.”
Vance criticized the actions taken during the period by Gov. Evers, although it was Evers that had sent in 125 Guard troops within 24 hours of the shooting, and doubled the size to 250 a day later, on top of over 100 law enforcement officers who had arrived from other jurisdictions.
Vance’s comments Tuesday infuriated Kenosha Ald. Anthony Kennedy, whose district borders the neighborhood where the shooting took place. “I am not ever going to forget the seven shots that Jacob Blake received. It was a horrible thing that happened. The subsequent events that happened after it tested the city and the city came through,” Kennedy said in a phone conversation with WGTD. “Now is everything peachy keen and red wine and roses? No. I wouldn’t say that. But for J.D. Vance to come to this city this close to the anniversary and make those kinds of statements—it’s a bald-faced lie.”
Kennedy gives credit to hundreds of community-minded citizens who helped repair some of the damage, in both the short and long term.
Joining Vance on the stage Tuesday was Kenosha County Sheriff Dave Zoerner, 1st District Congressman Bryan Steil and U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, all Republicans.
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